NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a broadside against the BJP-RSS, saying that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar considered ‘Manusmriti’ superior to the Constitution.
Speaking at the special debate to mark the 75th year of the adoption of the Constitution, Gandhi cited Savarkar’s quotes that there was “nothing Indian about our Constitution.”
“I want to start my speech by quoting what the supreme leader, not of the BJP but of the modern interpretation of the ideas of the RSS about the Constitution of India. The worst thing about the Constitution is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is the scripture most worshipable after the Vedas of our Hindu nation… For centuries, this book has codified our nation’s spiritual and divine march. Today, Manusmriti is law. These are the words of Savarkar,” said Rahul.
The Congress MP sought to know if the BJP is in support of its leader’s ideas. “I want to ask the BJP if you support your leader’s words. Because when you speak in Parliament about protecting the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, abusing Savarkar, and defaming Savarkar,” he said.
Accusing the BJP of spreading hatred in the country, Gandhi spoke about his recent visit to Hathras where he met the family of the Dalit gang-rape victim. He said that the culprits are roaming scot-free while the victim’s family is not allowed to leave their house. “This is not in the basic spirit of Baba Saheb’s Constitution,” he said.
Gandhi further reiterated his commitment to hold a caste census and to remove the 50% cap on reservation if the INDIA alliance came to power.
“We will conduct a caste census and scrap the wall 50% reservation cap,” he added.
Political equality has been destroyed under the Modi government, he said. “Ambedkar had said that if there is no social and economic equality, political equality will be destroyed. Today, it has happened now. All institutions have been captured. Social equality and economic equality don’t exist anymore. That is why our next step would be caste census,” he said.